Boat anchor



Aug. 30, 1966 J. CHURCHWARD BOAT ANCHOR Filed Feb. 10, 1965 INVENTOR JACK CHURCHWARD ATT RNEY 3,269,348 Ice Patented August 30, 1966 3,269,348- BOAT ANCHOR Jack Churchward, 976 Douglas Ave., Dunedin, Fla. Filed Feb. 10,u1965,-Ser. No; 431,685 1 Claim. (Cl. 114208) The presentinvention-relates to-improvements in boat anchors and more particularly to improvements by which the anchors can be effectivelydislodged from the bottom with a minimum of effort.

One well known form of anchor comprises a shank having a pair of blade type flukes pivotally attached to one end and on opposite sides thereof in a common plane, the blades being wedge shape and attached to the shank at their broad end edges by -a transversely extending member so that their tapered ends extend toward the other end of the shank whereby as the anchor is drawn along the bottom by a cable attached to the latter end of shank the flukes tend to penetrate the bottom and become embedded therein. To position the flukes at an angle to the bottom for causing the pointed ends to dig into the bottom a support structure is provided at the end of the shank to which the flukes are attached and which comprises spacer means extending transversely of the plane of the flukes and a shoe plate attached to opposite ends of the spacer means so that one or the other shoe plates rests on the bottom and positions the flukes with the pointed ends extending downwardly for penetration into the bottom. The improvement of the present invention relates to a cable attaching slide structure on the shank to which the anchor cable is attached and which slides from one end of the shank to the other according to the direction of pull thereon by the cable, and which when moved by the cable to the support structure for the flukes, pivots and swings the cable beyond the shoe plates so that the cable may exert a dislodging tension on a line substantially along the major planes of the flukes thereby applying the full force of the cable pull in a direction in which the least area of the anchor is subjected to interference of bottom material as the anchor is withdrawn. Thus, if the anchor cannot be broken free of the bottom by raising the cable in the usual fashion, the boat may be moved over and beyond the anchor which moves the cable attaching slide to the end of the shank and carries the cable end beyond the shoe plates to line the cable with the planes of the flukes which then present but a slight surface for to bottom material.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an anchor embodying the invention showing the anchor and its cable in a normal position at rest on a bottom surface;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the anchor cable in a position for most effectively dislodging the anchor, and,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view of the anchor embedded in a bottom and with the anchor cable moved to the position shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, an anchor 9 is shown which comprises in general, .a shank 10 having two blade like flukes 11, 12 pivotally attached at one end and extending in a common plane or opposite sides thereof, the flukes being attached to a cross rod 13 and having their pointed ends extending alongside the shank and toward the end of which an anchor cable c is normally connected to the shank.

Shank 10 is in the form of a rod bent in the form of a hairpin and the ends of the legs thereof are welded to a metal block 15. Block 15 is positioned edgewise between .two spacer plates 16.and.17 of asupport structure and crossrod 13 extends therethrough. andthrough alignedopenings in. the. spacer plates, as shown. Cross rod'13. is.welded'to block 15. and rotates. as shank 10 pivots about the bearing. formedjbythe rod. in theopenings through the spacerv plates... Thefluke blades lland 1% are weldedto rod 13.along thebroadend edgesthereo The support. structurecomprising. plates 16, 17. position the .flukes at anangle to the .surface S of the bottom B' thereby facilitating penetration of the blades into the bottom as the shank 10 is drawn by cable c along the bottom toward the right as viewed in the drawings. This support structure also includes shoe plates 20 and 21 which are welded to opposite ends of spacer plates 16 and 17, and, preferably, the end edges of the plates lie in planes which slope toward the pointed ends of the flukes and one or the other of shoe plates 20 and 21 lies in these planes. Whichever of plate 20 or 21 happens to rest on the bottom surface, provides a support for the fluke carrying end of shank 10 for positioning the flukes for penetration of the bottom.

Anchor cable 0 is attached to shank 10 by a double ring structure 22 which includes a relatively large oval ring form 22a and a smaller oval ring form 22b integral therewith and which extends partially into the oval form of the opening through ring 22a. Ring portion 22a receives rod 10a therethrough and easily slides from one end of shank 10 to the other end along the rod. Cable c is preferably tied to ring portion 22b as shown. The diameter of ring portion 22a is such that it can easily accommodate either shoe plate 20 or 21 therethrough so that when the ring structure is drawn by cable c from the closed end 10b of the shank 10 to the opposite end, ring portion 22b thereof may swing over and to the left of the uppermost shoe plate as viewed in the drawings, thereby bringing the line of force applied by tension on cable 0 substantially along the plane of the major surfaces of flukes 11, 12 and intermediate plates 20 and 21, and which will most efiiciently dislodge the flukes firmly embedded in the bottom because the least surface area of the flukes will be presented to the material of the bottom and a minimum of this force is opposed by displacement of the bottom laterally of the flukes.

It will be seen that when the anchor is initially dropped, ring structure 22 will freely move to the lighter end of shank 10 and cable c applies pressure to the looped end 10 of the shank, and when the anchor rests on the bottom it is drawn by the cable to the right along the bottom and causes flukes 11 and 12 to penetrate the bottom and firmly set the anchor. Should the anchor be so firmly embedded that it cannot be broken free by raising upwardly on cable c with the ring structure at the end 1% of shank 10 in the usual manner, the boat to which the cable is attached is then moved up over and beyond the anchor to cause the cable to slide the ring structure 22 to the position shown in full lines in FIG. 3, in which ring portion 22b is swung over shoe plate 20, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3, and to the full line position in which position a minimum of resistance will be offered to the pulling force by the anchor cable.

It will be apparent that by my invention an anchor is provided which may be readily embedded in a bottom and which may be dislodged from a firmly embedded position with a minimum of effort.

It will be apparent that other forms, modifications and adaptations of the anchor could be made all falling within the scope of the claim which follows:

I claim:

An anchor comprising:

(a) a shank;

(b) blade type fluke means attached to one end of said shank and extending laterally and toward the other end thereof;

(0) support structure including two plates extending generally parallel to a stock, one on each side of said fluke means at said one end of said shank above the bottom on which said anchor is resting for inclining said flukes relative to the bottom surface;

t(d) cable attaching-means including an oval ring with a smaller ring connected thereto for securing a cable to said shank, said ring being slidably attached to said shank and freely movable therealong from one end to the other and having a part adapted to pivot relative to said shank and to extend about 4 and beyond one of said plates when said cable attaching means is moved to said one end of said shank whereby the line of force of the cable applied to said anchor extends in a line through an intermediate position of said support structure.

Reterences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,651,277 9/1953 Jenshak 114208 2,956,529 10/1960 Samalion 114208 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner. 

